Lost and Found Pets

What do I do if I have lost my pet?

What do I do if I have found a pet?

Helpful phone numbers

What do I do if I have lost my pet?

A lost pet is always a difficult time for a family. The uncertainty of where a pet may be or what may have happened can be overwhelming. Here are some important tips that will help you work through the situation:

1. Be prepared. Prior to any pet being lost, keep a photo of the pet in the house and know the distinct and unique features of your pet. For example, is there a scar somewhere on your pet that could identify him/her? Does your pet have a unique pattern in his/her fur? What color are his/her eyes? Is your cat declawed? Does your dog have a missing tooth?
2. Stay calm. It is best for your pet if you act quickly and calmly.
3. Search your house thoroughly. Something may have spooked your pet causing them to hide in their favorite comfort spot or a new location. Check even odd locations that you don’t think your pet could get into, such as cabinets or closets.
4. In a calm voice, call for your pet inside and outside. Give your pet time to answer or come find you. Do this as frequently as possible, especially in the first few days.
5. Call your local animal shelter and/or animal control. Provide a detailed description of your pet and ask if anyone has brought a pet in that matches that description. Provide either your address or a location where your pet was last seen. Leave contact information with the description of your pet in case he/she turns up at their facility. Whether the facility has a pet matching your pet’s description or not, visit the shelter as soon as possible to see if your pet is there. Ask the shelter if they work with any local emergency veterinary clinics as hurt animals will be taken there first before going to the shelter.
6. Create a flier to hang up in your neighborhood and distribute at local veterinary offices. Include on the flier a photo of your pet, your pet’s name (or what your pet answers to most frequently), description of your pet, location your pet was last seen, your name and your contact information. Do not put your address on the flier as criminals will have access to your name, address and phone number to check to see if you are not home. The flier should be made of durable paper to withstand weather elements. Do not use ink-jet printers as these inks will run in wet weather.
7. Put an ad in the local papers with the same information as on your flier. Check the ads frequently for descriptions that match your pet’s.
8. Visit online sites, such as petfinder.org - to look for photos of your pet that may appear at shelters or rescues.
9. Go back and visit the shelters frequently. You must be proactive with these facilities as their workers may be understaffed or fielding a lot of inquiries about lost pets.
10. Continue to check with your neighbors to see if they have spotted your pet. Provide your neighbors with copies of the flier.
11. Be proactive and continue to follow up.

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What do I do if I have found a pet?

Animals seem to have a sense for knowing where to go when they are lost. They may feel your home or yard feels safe and come looking for help. In other instances, pets may have been abandoned or prefer to live on the streets.

1. Before approaching any strange animal, evaluate the situation to see if it is safe to approach the animal.
2. Do not approach a sick or injured animal. Call animal control immediately.
3. If the situation is safe, provide the animal with a little food to entice it to come to you. Tuna works well for cats. Peanut butter will work well for dogs.
4. Be calm around the pet and do not make any sudden movements. The pet may be very frightened and any movement that scares him/her could put you in harm’s way.
5. Check the pet’s collar for a name, contact information or tag number. Call the owner right away if the pet has an identification tag.
6. If the found pet does not have an ID tag but does have a rabies or license tag, call that tag number into the issuing facility. This will usually be the local humane society or a veterinarian’s office.
7. Call the local animal shelter/humane society with a description of the pet and your contact information. This will help the pet’s owner track down the pet when they call the shelter.
8. Take the pet to a local veterinarian, animal control or humane society to have it scanned for a chip. If you are not able to take it to their office, call them and ask them to come to you to perform the scan.
9. Put an ad in the local paper under found pet. Check the lost pet ads frequently to see if any match the animal you have found.
10. Check the lost and found boards at local veterinarian offices, animal shelters and pet stores.

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Helpful phone numbers:

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